New England Patriots wait to apply franchise tag

The NFL offseason is under way and it didn’t take long for more questions to arise about the Patriots.

They started when Bill Belichick didn’t use the franchise tag Feb. 17, the first day he could have done so. No surprise there, though.

The Boston Herald noted the Patriots have utilized the tag eight times in the last 11 years. In half of those cases it wasn’t applied until deadline day after coming up empty in contract negotiations, with the tag providing more time for the two sides to talk.

Sometimes that led to a long-term extension, as was the case with defensive lineman Vince Wilfork in 2010. Sometimes it didn’t, as was the case with receiver Wes Welker last year.

But there’s a growing sentiment the March 4 deadline will pass with none of the unrestricted free agents getting franchised. And if the Patriots can’t re-sign those players to team-friendly deals by March 12, when free agency begins, they’ll take their chances.

That might not be the gamble you’d think.

Due to the flat salary cap, the marketplace is going to be bloated with veterans seeking employment. Translation: suppressed salaries.

Go ahead, look around, the Patriots will tell Welker, Talib and Vollmer. Then come back to us and let’s see where we’re at.

Considering Talib’s sketchy reputation and the Vollmer’s recent back surgery for a second straight offseason, the Patriots stand a good chance of ultimately retaining both proven players at the prices they want. But Welker figures to draw some serious outside interest.

He’s a highly productive, dependable and respected player who comes with a letter of recommendation from Tom Brady. Hard to believe at least one team in the league wouldn’t step up and make an offer to Welker that would lead to his departure from New England.

“I think no franchise tag for him and I think it’s a coin flip on whether he comes back or not,” Mortensen told Patriots Today’s Brian Lowe at the NFL combine. “Once you hit the open market it only takes one, the one to really say, ‘OK, were willing to throw much more money at you than anyone else.’ And if that happens, Wes has got to make a business decision. This is going to be his last, quote, big contract, so Wes has to do what’s right for him.

“And, by the way, he might get some action. There’s a quarterback in Denver (Peyton Manning) who might want to push his people on that one, but you never know. Wes and Tom Brady just seem to go together so it’s hard to imagine, but I do think it’s a possibility.”

Here’s a thought: Let Welker walk and make an aggressive run at Victor Cruz.

Welker will turn 32 in May. Cruz is 26. Both players work out of the slot, but the 6-foot, 204-pound Cruz is bigger, faster and more explosive than Welker. He’s also a legit downfield threat, something the Patriots painfully lack, and a better dancer than Rob Gronkowski.

In the last two seasons, Cruz has 168 receptions for 2,628 yards (15.6 average) and 19 touchdowns in 32 games. Welker has 240 receptions for 2,923 yards (12.2) and 15 TDs.

Stats aside, Cruz knows what it’s like to perform in a tough market for a superstar quarterback and a demanding organization.

Co-owner John Mara has publicly stated it’s unlikely the Giants will use the franchise tag at all. So if they can’t come to terms with Cruz on a multi-year deal, their only option is to use a first-round tender on him.

That means any team could have Cruz in return for a No. 1 pick and, of course, a willingness to sign the two-time Pro Bowler for major money.

The Patriots are $18 million under the cap, so they have the money. Their 2013 first-rounder is 29th overall, so we’re talking way down there.

It’s an expensive proposition, but one that should bring a guaranteed return on their investment and wouldn’t limit their ability to further retool and upgrade their roster.

Yes, the Patriots have only four other picks in this year’s draft — a second, a third and two sevenths. But they’ve done a nice job of infusing the roster with youth the last two years, so they could get by with having a small draft class in April.

And don’t forget they’ve historically excelled at unearthing undrafted gems and there will be plenty of veteran free agents willing to work for 60 cents on the dollar thanks to that bloated marketplace. The Patriots could add Cruz and still have the means to get help on the interior offensive and defensive lines and in the secondary.

This is one question the Patriots shouldn’t have any problem answering.